Endometriosis
As if those monthly cramps weren't enough, now your period has been punctuated with new pain: Maybe your lower back aches more than an overaggressive bellboy's or you feel pain during bowel movements or sex.
Your doctor may tell you its endometriosis, a condition that occurs when the tissue that lines the uterus becomes implanted on other pelvic organs--usually on the ovaries, the fallopian tubes or the ligaments that support your uterus. It may affect the bowel, bladder or ureters as well. This misguided tissue imitates the menstrual cycle, leaving a discharge that can't exit the body and causing inflammation and scarring. It can also cause infertility in a small percentage of women.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding can end symptoms of endometriosis, but here are some easier and faster ways to get relief.
Get into workouts. While a rigorous workout may be the last thing on your mind when pain strikes, plenty of exercise is often recommended. Research shows that women who exercise regularly have less endometriosis pain and easier periods in general.
"Exercise decreases estrogen production--and estrogen makes the disease worse," explains Owen Montgomery, M.D., an obstetrics/gynecology specialist at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, both in Philadelphia. His recommendation: a vigorous workout three to six times a week for at least 30 minutes each time.
Eat for a stronger immune system. Just as diet influences the severity of other diseases, it may have a role in causing endometriosis pain. "There are data suggesting an association of autoimmune disease with both the risk of developing endometriosis and the extent or severity of endometriosis," says Dan Martin, M.D., clinical associate professor of obstetrics/gynecology at the University of Tennessee and a reproductive surgeon at Baptist Memorial Hospital, both in Memphis. To build a stronger immune system, eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables that are rich in vitamins. Vitamin C is especially important, so fill up your plate with vegetables and fruits such as broccoli, red bell peppers, oranges, strawberries and cantaloupe--all high in vitamin C.
Don't forget fish. Rich in omega-3 fatty acids, fish such as mackerel, herring and sardines are also helpful, because they suppress prostaglandin production, suggests gynecology and fertility specialist Camran Nezhat, M.D., director of the Fertility and Endoscopy Center and Center for Special Pelvic Surgery in Atlanta. Prostaglandin is a hormone in the uterine lining that causes cramping.
Try hands-on healing. Acupressure relieves pain in some women, says Susan Anderson, an endometriosis sufferer who is a member of the national board of the Endometriosis Association, a self-help group based in Milwaukee. When pain begins, press the area on the inside of your leg about two inches above your ankle bone. To locate that spot, press with your thumb until you locate an area that feels tender. Another spot where pressure can ease pain is the web of your hand, at the base where the bones of your thumb and index finger meet. "If it doesn't hurt when you press, then it's not the right spot. Know that it will hurt, but you need to keep pressing, and you should feel relief in the pelvic area," says Anderson.
Keep a calendar of symptoms. If you know when endometriosis pain is likely to occur each month, you can plan around it. Dr. Montgomery recommends keeping a chart of your symptoms for a few months until you see a pattern.
"Charting helps you get control of your disease, so you can plan your life better," he says. "For instance, if you know that you always have severe pain on the 22nd day of your cycle, you can avoid planning important events for that day. You can also plan your pain relief medications prior to that day, so you won't wake up on the 22nd day with severe pain."
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Switch off caffeine and nicotine. Caffeine found in coffee, tea, chocolate and cola has been found to aggravate symptoms, says Dr. Nezhat. And while there's no scientific proof, most experts suspect that smoking aggravates endometriosis symptoms and pain. If you smoke and drink coffee or tea, consider giving them up--at least during your period.
Heat yourself up. Taking ibuprofen (Advil) is probably the easiest thing to do, but many women find a heating pad and warm beverages bring relief from abdominal pain and cramping, says Mary Sinn, R.N., nurse manager of the Medical Surgical Department and former coordinator of the WomanCare Unit at Gnaden Huetten Hospital in Lehighton, Pennsylvania.
Or cool yourself down. If heat doesn't help you beat endometriosis, you may be among those women who get more relief from an ice pack wrapped in a towel and placed on your lower abdominal area, adds Sinn.